Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/use_of_glyophosphate_in_public_p?utm_campaign=alaveteli-experiments-87&utm_content=sidebar_similar_requests&utm_medium=link&utm_source=whatdotheyknow on March 21, 2019 18:23

Many places in Calderdale have recently been treated with herbicide, delivered by a spray gun, hand held by the operator. In every case I have seen he operator wears no Personal Protective Equipment, and have been told the product is glyophosphate.

I would like to draw your attention to a recent independent study which examines the links between the use of glyophospate and cancer, and has been reviewed in The Lancet (1), reported by The New York Times (2) which states that WHO has declared that glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, “probably” causes cancer in people;

and is now the subject of a major petition with Avaaz (3).

Under the Freedom of Information Act, please could you supply the following information:

1) Please state which policy permits the use of glyophospate in Calderdale.
2) Please advise which areas are deemed necessary to treat, ie childrens play areas, parks, verges, kerbs etc.
3) Please indicate how much glyopospate is used annually in Calderdale.
4) What is the cost to the Council of the use of glyophospate, to include
i) the cost of the chemical and
ii) the cost of operations to use it
5) Given that all herbicides available for sale have been deemed initially safe for use, of all the available herbicides/pesticides, please indicate what, if any, process of selection and assessment a chemical is to go through before the Council use it, and which department /individual makes these decisions.
6) What if any PPE is required for staff to operated the glyophospate?
7) How many Calderdale Council staff use glyophospate?
8) Please indicate if there is any health screening of staff working with this chemical at present.
9) Please state
i) if there is a pending review, or
ii) how there can be a review under Council policy of the use of glyophospate in Calderdale, in light of this recent study, and provide the name and position of the person who is accountable for this decision making process.